


First Encounter

by Weaselwoman



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Comics - Fandom, Norse Religion & Lore
Genre: AU, Cavemen, Gen, Scandinavia, UFOs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 10:15:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9379940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weaselwoman/pseuds/Weaselwoman
Summary: a cold marsh, and a hunter's quest goes in an unexpected direction





	

Fourteen-year-old Oth the Thin was on his manhood quest: Perhaps a little young, as he had not yet reached his full growth; perhaps a little old, as the daughters of his village could attest. It had been a cold winter—colder in the frozen marshlands where he now walked—and he hoped for some impressive animal to overcome. Perhaps a bear—let it be a bear!—he’d take its teeth and claws and hide (if it wasn’t too heavy) back to his village as proof of his prowess. Perhaps they’d give him a better name: Oth the Great Hunter, Oth the Provider…one of the hummocky lumps on the far side of the marsh flashed white in the sunlight and moved. Perhaps an ice bear? Oth approached cautiously.

 

Well, this wasn’t in the plan. Chrononaut/naturalist Lau Fei-Tsui had hoped that by going back to the Ice Ages he would see (and collect DNA from) charismatic megafauna. He wanted a wooly rhinoceros—the zoo lacked diversity in those genes—but would settle for a bear if he had to. But now his time-harness had overcooled, cracking into useless rubble; his supplies had been dropped past a far hill; and he’d sprained his ankle. If not for his insulating suit, aluminized mylar in layers trapping the warmth inside, he’d be done for in this Scientists-forsaken place. And the only specimen that appeared was a damned human— _those_ were over-represented in the zoo, thank you. Which would likely drive any interesting beasts away. Lau sighed.

The idiot was trying to sneak up on him. Well, that wasn’t going to work. Might as well make contact, for all the paper-work that would later entail; Lau hated paperwork, but hated inactivity more.

“Over here!” He waved.

 

“What?” Thank the Scientists, Lau’s Allspeak translator had not been damaged. A skinny boy stood up, dressed in small-game furs (also over-represented in the zoo, thank you), and armed with a wooden spear. Perhaps the DNA of the wood would be useful.

 

“Over here! I won’t hurt you.”

 

The boy approached, and Lau stood up tall. His suit compensated by inflating pressure/antigravity balloons around his lower legs; the sprained ankle sighed in relief. One problem solved. Lau took a step on the slippery ice and his feet shot out under him, leaving him flat on his back against the ground. So much for a majestic entrance. Lau sat up, shakily.

 

The boy approached, leaning on his stick, looking at him dubiously. “Who are you?”

“Lau Fei-Tsui.”

“Loki.”

“Acceptable.” Sitting, Lau’s head was at the same height as the boy.

“And you are?”

“Oth the Thin.”

“Odin.”

 _Better_ , the boy thought. “Yes, Odin.” He frowned. “I wanted a bear, not competition.”

“Perhaps we could hunt one together?” Lau stood up, and made a much more careful step forward.

The boy looked up, and up. “Are you a frost giant?”

“Close enough,” said Loki.

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I have a cold and go to bed reading Neil Gaiman's _Odd and the Frost Giants_. "Fei-Tsui" means "kingfisher feather" and refers to jadeite jade.


End file.
